Is Outpatient Total Ankle Arthroplasty Safe and Effective? A Case Series and Review of the Literature

Description

In this presentation, clinical fellow Shaheen Kayum from St. Michael's Hospital at the University of Toronto discusses the safety and effectiveness of outpatient total ankle arthroplasty (TAA). He provides an overview of the surgical procedure, typically performed on patients with symptomatic end-stage ankle arthritis, and highlights the increasing demand and economic impact of TAA.



Kayum outlines the study's objectives, focusing on patient safety, efficacy, and satisfaction following outpatient TAA. He details the inclusion criteria, which involved primary TAA performed by a single experienced surgeon, discharge within 12 hours post-surgery, and the use of a popliteal block for anesthesia. The study utilized a retrospective case series design, evaluating outcomes such as postoperative pain control measured by a visual analog scale.



The results of the study reveal that 41 patients participated, with an average age of 66 years, and no follow-up losses were noted. The study reported high patient satisfaction and effective pain control, indicating successful management without major complications or readmissions within 30 days post-operation. Kayum concludes that outpatient TAA, supported by a comprehensive multi-disciplinary approach and standardized post-operative care, can achieve excellent outcomes, similar to inpatient TAA. He also mentions a subsequent systematic review that corroborates his findings, reinforcing the safety and effectiveness of outpatient TAA.

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